Week - 4

Practice Assignment 4.1

Algebra of polynomials
Mathematics for Data Science - 1

1 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ):

1. Let x be the number of years since the year 2000 (i.e., x = 0 denotes the year 2000).
The total amount of profit (in |) on books in a shop is given by the function T (x) =
5x3 + 3x + 1. The shop sells books of four languages English, Bengali, Hindi, and Tamil.
The profits from selling English and Bengali books are given by E(x) = 3x3 − 5x2 + x
and B(x) = x2 + 4x + 5 respectively. The profit from selling Hindi and Tamil books are
found to be the same.
(a) Which of the following polynomial functions represents the profit from selling Tamil
books?
2x3 + 4x2 − 2x − 4
x3 − 2x2 − x + 2
x3 + 2x2 − x − 2
2x3 − 4x2 − 2x + 4
(b) In which year was the profit from Hindi books zero?
2001
2002
2004
2010
Solution:
(a) The total profit from selling English and Bengali books is= E(x) + B(x) = (3x3 −
5x2 +x)+(x2 +4x+5) = 3x3 −4x2 +5x+5. Hence the total profit from selling Hindi
and Tamil books is= T (x)−(3x3 −4x2 +5x+5) = 5x3 +3x+1−3x3 +4x2 −5x−5 =
2x3 + 4x2 − 2x − 4.
As the profit from selling Hindi and Tamil books are found to be the same, the
profit from selling Tamil books is= 21 (2x3 + 4x2 − 2x − 4) = x3 + 2x2 − x − 2
(b) Profit from selling Hindi books (which is same as the profit from selling Tamil
books) is x3 + 2x2 − x − 2.

x3 + 2x2 − x − 2 = x2 (x + 2) − 1(x + 2) = (x + 2)(x2 − 1) = (x + 2)(x + 1)(x − 1)

So the profit will be zero if (x + 2)(x + 1)(x − 1) = 0, i.e., at x = −2, −1, 1 the
profit can be 0. But in this context, x cannot be negative. So x = 1 is the only
possibility. Hence in the year 2001 the profit from Hindi books was zero.

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2. Find the quadratic polynomial which when divided by x, x − 1, and x + 1 gives the
remainders 7, 14, and 8 respectively.
4x2 − 3x + 7
x2 + 7x + 7
7x2 + x + 7
4x2 + 3x + 7
Solution: Let the quadratic polynomial which is satisfying the given condition be p(x) =
ax2 + bx + c.
When it is divided by x the remainder is 7. It implies that if we substitute x = 0 in p(x)
we will get 7, i.e., p(0) = 7. Similarly we have p(1) = 14 and p(−1) = 8.
Hence we have the following equations:

p(0) = a(0)2 + b(0) + c

=c
=7
p(1) = a.(1)2 + b.1 + c
=a+b+c
= 14
p(−1) = a(−1)2 + b(−1) + c
=a−b+c
=8

So, we have c = 7, and substituting c in the second and third equation we get, a + b = 7,
and a − b = 1. By solving these two equations we get a = 4 and b = 3.
Hence the quadratic polynomial is 4x2 + 3x + 7.

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3. Box A has length x unit, breadth (x + 1) unit, and height (x + 2) unit. Box B has length
(x + 1) unit, breadth (x + 1) unit, and height (x + 2) unit. There are two more boxes
C and D of cubic shape with side x unit. The total volume of A and B is y cubic unit
more than the total volume of C and D. Find y in terms of x.
x3 + 7x2 + 7x + 2
7x2 + 7x + 2
7x2 − 7x − 2
x3 + 7x2 − 7x − 2
Solution: The volume of box A is x(x + 1)(x + 2) = x3 + 3x2 + 2x cubic unit.
The volume of box B is (x + 1)(x + 1)(x + 2) = (x2 + 2x + 1)(x + 2) = x3 + 4x2 + 5x + 2
cubic unit.
The volume of box C and D is x3 cubic unit each. So the total volume of A and B is
2x3 + 7x2 + 7x + 2 and the total volume of C and D is 2x3 .
Hence y = (2x3 + 7x2 + 7x + 2) − 2x3 = 7x2 + 7x + 2.

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4. The population of a bacteria culture in laboratory conditions is known to be a function
of time of the form p(t) = at5 + bt2 + c, where p represents the population (in lakhs)
and t represents the time (in minutes). Suppose a student conducts an experiment to
determine the coefficients a, b, and c in the formula and obtains the following data:

ˆ p(0) = 3
ˆ p(1) = 5
ˆ p(2) = 39

Which of the following options is correct?

p(t) = 3t5 − t2 + 3
p(t) = 4t5 − 2t2 + 3
p(t) = t5 + t2 + 3
p(t) = 39t5 + 5t2 + 3
Solution: Given that, p(t) = at5 + bt2 + c.
p(0) = c = 3
p(1) = a + b + c = 5, putting c = 3, we get a + b = 2.
p(2) = a(2)5 + b(2)2 + c = 32a + 4b + c = 39, substituting c = 3, we get 32a + 4b = 36,
implies, 8a + b = 9 (cancelling 4 from both sides)
By solving these two equations we get a = 1, and b = 1.
Hence, p(t) = t5 + t2 + 3.

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5. If the polynomials x3 + ax2 + 5x + 7 and x3 + 2x2 + 3x + 2a leave the same remainder
when divided by (x − 2), then the value of a is:
3
2
− 32
5
2
− 52
Solution: Given that both the polynomials leave same remainder when divided by
(x − 2). By substituting x = 2 both the polynomial should have same value.
By substituting x = 2 in x3 + ax2 + 5x + 7, we get 8 + 4a + 10 + 7 = 4a + 25.
By substituting x = 2 in x3 + 2x2 + 3x + 2a, we get 8 + 8 + 6 + 2a = 2a + 22.
So we have,

4a + 25 = 2a + 22
2a = −3
3
a=−
2

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 6. Let r(x) be a polynomial function which is obtained as the remainder after dividing the
polynomial 2x3 + x2 − 5 by the polynomial 2x − 3. Choose the correct option which
represents the polynomial r(x) most appropriately.

r(x) r(x)

4• 4•

2• 2•

x x
−2 • −2 •

−4 • −4 •

Option A Option B
Fig P-6.2 Fig P-6.3

r(x) r(x)

4• 4•

2• 2•

x x
−2 • −2 •

−4 • −4 •

Option C Option D
Fig P-6.4 Fig P-6.5

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Solution We get 4 as the remainder if 2x3 + x2 − 5 is divided by the polynomial 2x − 3.

2x3 + x2 − 5 = (2x − 3)(x2 + 2x + 3) + 4

Hence r(x) = 4, which is a constant polynomial. Hence, the first option is the correct.

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 2 Multiple Select Questions (MSQ):
7. By dividing a polynomial p(x) with another polynomial q(x) we get h(x) as the quotient
and r(x) as the remainder.
(a) The maximum degree of r(x) can be,
deg p(x)
deg (p(x)) − 1
deg q(x)
deg (q(x)) − 1
(b) If deg p(x) < deg q(x), then choose the set of correct answers:
h(x) = 0
deg h(x) = deg q(x)
deg r(x) = deg q(x)
deg r(x) = deg p(x)
Solution:
(a) The degree of the remainder r(x) should be strictly less than the degree of the
polynomial q(x). So the maximum degree of r(x) is deg (q(x)) − 1.
(b) If deg p(x) < deg q(x), then quotient will be zero polynomial, hence deg h(x) = 0.
The remainder will be p(x) itself. So deg r(x) = deg p(x).

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 3 Numerical Answer Type (NAT):
8. An open box can be made from a piece of cardboard of length 7x unit and breadth 5x
unit, by cutting squares of side x unit out of the corners of the rectangular cardboard,
then folding up the sides as shown in the Figure P-6.1.

5x

7x

Figure P-6.1

(a) What will be the coefficient of x3 in the polynomial representing the volume of the
box? [Answer:15]
(b) What will be the coefficient of x2 in the polynomial representing the volume of the
box? [Answer:0]
Solution: As the sides of the piece of the cardboard has been cut out, the length of
the box made will be 7x − (x + x) = 5x unit and the breadth of the box made will be
5x − (x + x) = 3x unit, and the height will be x unit.
Hence the volume of the box will be 5x × 3x × x = 15x3 cubic unit.

(a) The coefficient of x3 in the polynomial representing the volume of the box is 15.
(b) The coefficient of x2 in the polynomial representing the volume of the box is 0.